Maggie’s Centre will open this year

Jill Buchanan

The charity which plans to open a cancer caring centre in Larbert has given an assurance it has lost none of its funds after the builder went bust.

Last week, it was revealed that the Dunne Group had gone into adminstration.

Chief executive Gordon Dunne lives in the Falkirk area and his company had already built the Maggie’s Centre at Gartnaval Hosptial, Glasgow.

Over 500 jobs, 385 in Scotland, have been lost in the collapse.

The new centre was due to be handed over to the charity in the late summer.

Laura Lee, Maggie’s chief executive, said: “We were very sorry to hear the news regarding the Dunne Group last week, and our thoughts go out to all their staff who have been affected. The Dunne Group have been a great source of support to Maggie’s, especially with the creation of the new Forth Valley centre.

“As we’re entering the final few weeks of the project, we expect there to be minimal impact on costs and completion, and still very much envisage the centre opening later this year.

“We would also like to reassure all of our generous supporters that we have not lost any charitable funds as a consequence of the Dunne Group entering administration.

“Supporting those living with cancer, and their family and friends, is at the heart of what we do at Maggie’s. Forth Valley will be our 20th Maggie’s Centre and will be opened later this year, our 20th year.”

UCATT Scotland has called a crisis meeting of all workers made redundant by the closure of the Dunne Group. To be held at 6.30pm tomorrow, July 26 at the UCATT offices in 33 Dalintober Street, Glasgow, it will seek to address the needs and legal position of all workers – whether UCATT members or not - who have lost their jobs due to the company’s sudden collapse.

The Scottish Government has also swung into action to help staff, organising two drop-in events in West Lothian from 10am -4pm on Thursday, July 28 and Tuesday, August 2 at Business Gateway, Greendykes Road in Broxburn.

The meetings are being organised by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) on behalf of the Scottish Government’s redundancy action group PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment). Affected workers will receive one-to-one advice and support.